Unknown attempt to set fire to UOC temple in Kiev

According to the UOJ source, on 16 January at 4 a.m. the unknown hurled three firebombs into the yard of Kiev temple named after “Softening of Evil Hearts” icon.

The evil-doers targeted the church façade. None of the bottles exploded. The duty man, who was in the church territory, was able to defuse the devices on his own. The façade was slightly damaged.

“We take the failure of arsonists as a miracle, shown by the Mother of God,” commented on the incident father John Tronko to the UOJ.

He also noted he did not see any signs of inter-faith hatred in what had occurred before.

“We assume the incident has nothing to do with denominational confrontation,” emphasized the church senior. “Most likely, it’s an attempt of certain unfair property developers to grab the land, where our church is located, from our community.”

Similar attempts to set fire to the temple, located in Syrets residential area, have been made earlier. On 5 January 2016 the unknown threw cocktail bottles into the yard. The fire, which damaged the facade, was extinguished fairly quickly.

The UOJ follows the developments.

Read also

Amsterdam: Ukraine uses judiciary as an instrument of torture of UOC clergy

An American lawyer has commented on the hospitalization of Metropolitan Longin (Zhar) during a court session.

Polish politician on the Volyn Tragedy: Ukraine is behaving very improperly

The head of Poland's Institute of National Remembrance believes that one cannot become part of European civilization without respecting the dead and allowing the burial of 120,000 people.

OCU holds first "service" in church seized from Romanian-speaking UOC parish

The OCU considers the expulsion of the Romanian-speaking UOC parish from the church an "important step in restoring historical justice."

Met. Longin's lawyer: Vladyka is in hospital, his condition is worsening

The lawyer of the UOC hierarch stated that during the course of the legal proceedings, the bishop's health has significantly deteriorated.

Polish President: I will not blackmail Ukraine with the Volyn Tragedy

"The Volyn crime topic is a very uncomfortable topic for Ukrainians," says Duda.

Ternopil Regional Council declares 2025 as the Year of Uniate Sheptytsky

July 29, 2025, will mark the 160th anniversary of the birth of the head of the UGCC, Andriy Sheptytsky, at the state level.